Samsung Galaxy Note battery injures man after catching fire

A man in South Korea is being treated for second-degree burns after the lithium-ion battery from his Samsung Galaxy Note smartphone caught fire in his trouser pocket.

Fire Officials from the Bupyeong Fire Station in Incheon city confirmed the man suffered second degree burns and a one-inch wound located on his thigh from the fire. Fire officials have reported that the lithium-ion battery was not in the smartphone, reportedly a 2011 Galaxy Note handset, when the incident occurred.

The unidentified man is the second victim of a Samsung smartphone battery fire in South Korea in the past year. The batteries are known for their quick charging times, but are often prone to overheating. Samsung has revealed that it is not planning to investigate the incident.

Used in a range of devices including laptops and smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S3, the lithium-ion batteries overheating issues have led to recalls, device shortages and even death, although this is a rarity. Problems with overheating lithium-ion batteries, although on a much larger scale, have also been behind the recent grounding of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner passenger plane.

High-profile fires and incidents led to the entire fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes to be grounded pending further investigation, after one battery melted mid-flight and another caught fire after the Boeing 787 landed in Boston.

The FAA has now cleared the passenger plane for test flights where in-flight data will be gathered on the on-board lithium-ion batteries and electrical systems, in attempt to fix over-heating issues.

Have you found any of your lithium-ion devices overheating? Are you worried about fire hazards when using a lithium-ion battery powered handset? Let us know via the Trusted Reviews Facebook and Twitter pages or use the comment boxes below.